KeyKeeper 1.0 User Documentation

 

Introduction

Thank you for your decision to use KeyKeeper by PandaCode Technologies LLC. This software will simplify password and account management by providing a single secure location to keep all of your account login data. You no longer need to memorize the dozens of logins and passwords you have for everything from e-mail to online banking. As you no longer need to “remember” passwords, we suggest creating new secure passwords at this time for all of your accounts. The strongest passwords are random assortments of letters, numbers, and special characters up to the maximum length allowed by a particular account provider. For details on how KeyKeeper can help, please see the topic Random Passwords.

 

KeyKeeper uses the RSA algorithm to secure your data. For a concise description of RSA, please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA. RSA is a public key encryption algorithm, so there are two keys associated with each password list you create in KeyKeeper. The public key is used to encrypt passwords, and is stored in the saved (encrypted) password list. The private key exists as a separate file, and is required to reopen a saved password list. We strongly advise that the private key be placed on some form of removable media, and be kept with you at all times. Do not leave the key on the same computer as the password list, as it defeats the security of your data. As added protection, KeyKeeper incorporates an additional password layer on the private key. When you create a new password list you can provide a password that will be used to modify the private key. When used, the feature makes the data saved in the private key file meaningless unless combined with the correct password used in creating it.

 

Installation

Note: KeyKeeper requires the Microsoft® .NET Framework v2.0 to be installed. Please use the update procedure for your specific operating system or contact a system administrator to satisfy this requirement. You may also visit the Microsoft Corporation website at http://www.microsoft.com for more details.

  1. KeyKeeper may be downloaded from http://www.pandacode.com/downloads/keykeeper.zip.
  2. Unzip the downloaded file.
  3. Run the Setup.exe program
  4. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete installation.
  5. Once you have installed KeyKeeper, you will have a 30 day evaluation period before you must enter a registration key. Please see “Registration” for more details.

 

Registration

When you purchase KeyKeeper, you will receive an activation key. Once you receive the key, open KeyKeeper and click o n the Settings Tab. Paste or type the code in the blue box and then click on “Apply.” If the code is valid, the word “Licensed” will appear on the title bar of the application. You will not need to enter the code again after you register KeyKeeper, but we suggest recording the key in case you need to re-install the program.

 

Interfaces

KeyKeeper is designed to be simple to use across a variety of operating environments. It is composed of three interfaces as shown below:

 

Figure 1: Manager Interface

 

Figure 2: Password List

Figure 3: Settings

 

Creating a New List and Key Set

 To begin using KeyKeeper, you start by creating a password list and associated key set. Two files are created in this step:

  • Password List—this file will contain your encrypted passwords.  It also holds the public key.
  • Private Key—This is the private decryption key. It should be saved to a removable device. Do not store it in the same place as the password list!
  1. Select the Manager tab
  2. Type a password in the Master Password Field and retype it in the Confirmation box. Do not forget this password.
  3. Click the “Create a New List” button.

 

  1. You will see a popup asking for the filename of the Private Key. Provide a name and click save when you are ready. Note that it is suggested that the key be stored on a removable device, such as a USB drive or floppy disk. You can always save the key to the hard disk and then burn it to a CD later, but remember to delete the original if you do this!

 

  1. You will see another popup asking for a filename for the Password List. Provide a name and click save when you are ready.

 

  1. KeyKeeper now begins to generate the files. It may take a few minutes to calculate a key pair depending on the specs of your PC and the key length you have chosen.

 

  1. If you want to begin entering account data now, please see the section “Edit Password Lists.” If not, you can always load the list later and make changes.

 

 

Loading Saved Password Lists

The following procedure may be performed any time you want to read or make changes to a saved password list. You will need the private key file and the password applied when the key set was created (see Creating a New List and Key Set).

  1. If the private key is on removable media, insert the media now.
  2. Click on the Manager Tab in KeyKeeper.
  3. Click the folder icon to select the Password List file. A popup will appear where you can navigate to the file.
  4. Click the key icon to select the private key. A popup will appear where you can navigate to the file.
  5. Type the password in the master password field. You do not need to confirm the password this time.
  6. When you are ready, click the unlock icon to load the password list. If the correct password and key was provided, you will be taken to the password list tab.

 

 

Edit Password Lists

If you have just created a new password list, simply click on the Password List Tab. If you want to make changes to an existing password list, please follow the directions in the “Loading Password Lists” topic. If the list is loaded correctly, you will be taken to the Password List tab automatically.

  1. You can change information by selecting it and typing.
  2. You can add a new entry by entering data in the bottom (blank) row of the list. A new row is added automatically.
  3. When you are done making changes, click on the Manager Tab.
  4. Click the lock button (encrypt) button to save your changes.
  5. We suggest making backups of the password list in case you want to “go back” to a previous state.

 

Random Passwords

KeyKeeper allows users to generate strong random passwords within the password list. To use this feature, simply select a password field (the entire field will turn gray). Once selected, right click to bring up the menu as shown below:

Choosing the “Fill Random” option will fill the password field with a random sequence of characters with length as specified in the setting tab. Random passwords are considered strong in that they will always contain at least one capital letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one special character.

 

Printing

KeyKeeper supports printing the password list. The password list will always be printed in PLAINTEXT. It is not suggested to use this feature in environments with public printers. To print the list, simply press the print button on the Manager Tab. You must have a password list open before printing (see Loading Saved Password Lists for details).

 

Changing Settings

For registration instructions, please see the topic “Registration.”

 

KeyKeeper allows users to change the following program settings:

  • Encryption Key Length: The user may choose the RSA key length (in bits). Longer keys are stronger, but may take longer to generate and load/save password lists. KeyKeeper currently supports 128, 256, and 512 bit key lengths. This setting may be changed prior to creating a new password list and key set. It only effects the creation of “new” files.
  • Confirm New Key Requests: This option provides the user with an opportunity to cancel the key generation process. This is useful if the PC is relatively slow and key creation takes awhile.

  • Provide Password Error Message: The user will receive an indication if an entered password appears to be invalid. If it is not selected, the user will be shown an empty password list upon invalid password entry.

  • Always Display On Top: When checked, KeyKeeper will always be shown above other open windows.
  • Always Hide Passwords: When checked, the password field will be filled with “*” (or your system’s default password character) on the Password List View. The copy and print features will still take the plaintext password. This is a useful feature if you are working in an environment where people may “look over your shoulder.”
  • Show Icon In System Tray: When checked, KeyKeeper will be shown in the System Tray. You can right click the icon to display a menu.

  • Show In Task Bar: When checked, KeyKeeper will show in the Task Bar.
  • Random Password Length: This numeric entry controls the length of random passwords created in the password list. For more details, please see the topic “Random Passwords.”

 

Support

Please visit http://www.pandacode.com/support.aspx for product support, updates, and documentation.

 

License and Copyright

Please refer to the EULA file included in the installation directory for the full license terms of this software and its components. No part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, or retransmitted without the express written consent of PandaCode Technologies LLC. Microsoft, Microsoft Corporation, Windows XP, and Microsoft .NET and either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Copyright PandaCode Technologies LLC, 2007.